Tonight we ate at Vin Bistro in celebration of Lindsay’s new job. Hooray for Lindsay! And hooray for us, because Vin Bistro was AMAZING. The restaurant focuses on their wines, and pairs them perfectly with the meals. Justin had a McManis Viognier that was just fabulous.

My appetizer was incredible. It was the special, unfortunately, so I may never get to try it again…barely seared salmon, still rare in the middle, that came with an amazing soy dipping sauce, and was atop a spicy papaya-tomato salad and zucchini tempura. Then I had pork tenderloin with a pistachio pesto, wild mushroom polenta squares, and zucchini with bacon. The polenta was really flavorful, and the texture was perfect.

Justin had fried Brie with raspberry coulis and toast points. I’m not sure what kind of Brie it was, but it was so creamy and cheesy. Then he had a curried tofu dish, with a spicy coconut broth.

Chad started with mussels in a curry broth, then moved on to smoked duck. Lindsay had Chilean sea bass with grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes.

And then came dessert. Lindsay and I shared the Vin Sin–a decadent chocolate torte covered in chocolate ganache and served with fresh raspberries and a raspberry coulis. The raspberries were so ripe and sweet, and the chocolate was sinful…or heavenly…anyway, it was good. Justin had creme brulee, which I dipped into a few times, and Chad had cinnamon gelato with blackberry sauce.

We were really pleased with the meal, the service, and the atmosphere. I was very sorry that I forgot my camera, because the food looked as incredible as it tasted.

So, to make up for it, I’m posting one of our recipes from the Austin Folk House. These cookies stay fresh for quite a while, and guests always ask for the recipe. The cinnamon adds a warm and cozy touch, and you could also substitute raisins or butterscotch chips for the toffee bits.

Oatmeal-Toffee Cookies

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/3 cups toffee bits

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet.

Beat butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; beat until well blended. Stir in oats and toffee bits with a spoon.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Source: Austin Folk House.